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Prelim Bits 10-07-2019

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July 10, 2019

Kisan Suvidha Mobile App

  • It is an omnibus mobile app developed to help farmers by providing relevant information to them quickly.
  • The following services and information are available on the App -
  1. Weather Forecast
  2. Extreme Weather Alert
  3. Market Price of commodities
  4. Dealers - Fertilizer, Seeds, Pesticide, Seeds etc.
  5. Plant protection for 12 major crops
  6. Agro advisories
  7. Soil Health card
  8. Soil testing labs
  9. Cold Stores &Godowns
  10. Vet Labs & Diagnostic Centres
  11. Crop Insurance
  12. Government Schemes
  • A farmer can also get extreme weather alerts like hailstorms or unseasonal rains.
  • It is developed by Department of Agriculture & Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
  • The app is available in 9 languages, English, Hindi, Tamil, Gujarati, Oriya, Punjabi, Marathi, Bengla and Telugu.

Pusa Krishi Mobile App

  • It disseminates information about the latest technologies developed by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute.
  • It will help farmers to take the technology to farm fields.
  • Details of 185 technologies are available in the App.
  • It is developed by Department of Agriculture & Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
  • It is available in two languages, Hindi and English.

IM-PDS

  • Integrated Management of Public Distribution System (IM-PDS) is a new Central Sector scheme.
  • It is launched by Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution.
  • The key objectives of the scheme are,
  • to integrate the existing PDS systems(portals) of States/UTs with the Central System(portals).
  • Introduction of National Portability of ration card to lift foodgrains from any Fair Price Shop (FPS) across the country.
  • National level de-duplication of ration cards/beneficiary.
  • It will bring more transparency and efficiency in PDS as it will improve the mechanism to identify fake/duplicate ration cards.
  • With this government is all set to implement "One nation-One ration card" scheme throughout India by 2020.

Menstrual Hygiene Scheme (MHS)

  • It is a scheme for promotion of menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls in the age group of 10-19 year in rural areas.
  • It comes under Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
  • The major objectives of the scheme are,
  • To increase awareness among adolescent girls on Menstrual Hygiene
  • To increase access to and use of high quality sanitary napkins to adolescent girls in rural areas.
  • To ensure safe disposal of Sanitary Napkins in an environmentally friendly manner.
  • Funds are provided to States/UTs through National Health Mission (NHM).
  • The funds are for decentralized procurement of sanitary napkins packs primarily to rural adolescent girls at a subsidized rate of Rs 6 for a pack of 6 napkins.
  • The ASHA will be responsible for distribution of napkins.
  • They will receive an incentive of Re 1 per pack sold and a free pack of napkins every month for her own personal use.
  • A range of IEC (Information Education and Communication) material has been developed around MHS.
  • It is a 360 degree approach to create awareness about safe and hygienic menstrual health practices.
  • It includes audio, video and reading materials for adolescent girls.
  • MHS is a part of Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram, which is to ensure holistic development of adolescent population.

HT Bt cotton – GM Cotton

  • Herbicide-tolerant Bt (HT Bt)Cotton is genetically modified cotton crop.
  • It is also known as BG-III cotton, an advanced version of Bt Cotton, as it takes care of weeds problem.
  • Herbicide is like a poison which is used to destroy unwanted vegetation.
  • They are designed to tolerate specific broad-spectrum herbicides, which kill the surrounding weeds, but leave the cultivated crop intact.
  • The herbicide-tolerant trait was developed and commercialised by US-based multinational seed giant Monsanto.
  • Currently, Bt-Cotton is the only GM crop allowed to be grown in India.
  • Herbicide-Tolerant Bt-cotton has unapproved genes which is not permissible in India.
  • The herbicide-resistant gene in HT cotton can spread through pollen into biodiversity system leading to transformation of weeds into super weeds.
  • It will threaten growth and yields of all crops in future and leads to health hazards.
  • But farmers in Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Maharashtra cultivates the unapproved HTBT cotton, as they want improved seeds and technology for better crops.
  • In the absence of government approval, production of HT Bt cotton is illegal.

 

Source: Indian Express, PIB

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